Our School

Ethos of the school

Our school offers primary school education following the Department of Education’s curriculum where we strive to help the students gain the best education possible in a Christian environment encouraging acceptance of all, belief in self, a good work ethic and acknowledging effort all while stimulating an inquiring mind.

While the school caters primarily for the Catholic community of the parish. All nationalities and faiths are welcome and all children are encouraged to embrace the beliefs and cultures of their fellow students with respect and dignity.

Preparing each child to take their place in the world as they grow we also invite families to support their Childs education through homework supervision and open communication with the school. Homework support pays dividends in a Childs education and marries with the schools’ efforts of helping each Child develop educationally, socially, physically and spiritually.

Board of Management

The Board of Management is charged with the direct governance of the school.

Subject to the authority of the Board, the overall responsibility for the day-to-day activities of the school is devolved on the Principal.

The constitution of the Board of Management comprises the following representatives :

Two direct nominees of the Patron

Two parents of children enrolled in the school (one being a mother, the other a father), elected by the general body of parents of children enrolled in the school.

The Principal (or Acting Principal) of the school

One other teacher on the teaching staff of the school, elected by vote of the teaching staff.

Two extra members representing the wider community proposed by those nominees described at (i) to (iv) above

While recognising the right of parents to enrol their children in the school of their choice, the Board of Management of “St. Brigid’s Girls’ School is charged with the responsibility of upholding the Catholic Ethos of the school and adhering to Diocesan policy in relation to parish boundaries. Although the school promotes the teachings of the Catholic Church, tolerance and respect for other religious beliefs, traditions, languages and ways of life is fostered.

School Posts and Teachers

School Staff (2015)

The total number of full-time teachers is 25, including the Principal.

Teachers are allocated to the following posts:

One administrative Principal

20 Mainstream Classes

4 Full Time Learning Support / Resource Teachers

In addition, support staff comprise of:

3 Special Needs Assistants

1 Secretary

1 Caretaker

History of the school

Until the year 1831 the state had no involvement in education in Ireland, however, small local schools existed in many places, supported by benevolent gentry, responsible landlords or charitable institutions. One such school was built in the townland of Foxrock between Mart Lane and the Magic Carpet car park in 1807. It was known as Clonkeen Schoolhouse being the parochial school of the Church of Ireland parish of “Kill of the Grange of Clonkeen”. It was funded by subscriptions chiefly supported by neighbouring gentlemen. In all there were seventy students there, mostly Catholic. Reading, writing, mathematics and English Grammar were taught.

This school was still in existence when Cabinteely Male and Female Schools were opened in what is now the Magic Lantern Restaurant in the 1840s, probably 1844. The predecessor of these schools was not “The Clonkeen” school house but a one-room thatched cabin build on the lands of The Byrne Family of Cabinteely. It cost £20 which was raised by the Parish Priest. There were 41 pupils and the Authorised Version of the Bible was read.

The first recognition of Cabinteely School was sought on 27th February 1845, when an application was made for state funding of teachers’ salaries and supply of books for both the boys’ and girls’ schools. The early years of the Cabinteely National Schools was troubled. In 1844 there were 46 girls and 67 boys on the rolls. The first teachers, Mr Dionysuis O’Sullivan, and his wife Margaret both resigned in October 1847. There followed a series of short appointments, and the school was often closed due to a lack of teaching staff. In November 1849 the school was closed and did not re-open again until February 1851.

In 1860 there were 172 children on the register and it was considered that the building was no longer adequate. In 1879 there is a record of work being done in the school. In November that year Fr Nicholl of Cabinteely gave a fundraising sermon for the renovation of the school. The school closed on 27th July 1890 and reopened again on 15th November that year.

By the turn of the century the school was again deemed inadequate. The arrangement of the rooms was defective and the lighting insufficient. However, it was not until 1912 that the government grant of £1539 was made available to support the building of a new school on a two acre site at Mart Lane, Foxrock. With the relocation of the school, the name was also changed to St. Brigid’s National Schools, Foxrock. The roll books and registers show that the name of the schools changed from Cabinteely National Schools (April-June 1915) to St. Bridgets National Schools (July – September 1915) and finally to St. Brigid’s National Schools (October – December 1915). St. Brigid’s Boys’ and Girls’ National Schools were in the same location until November 1988, when the Girls’ School was relocated to The Park, Cabinteely. It now has an enrolment of 548 pupils and a teaching staff of 25.

All content copyright St. Brigids School unless otherwise stated | Website by bmcdesign.com